Love in the Gastrolobiums — No Poisoned Hearts here!

Day 21 A plant a day , Lowlands Reserve, 14 November 2020

Diphucephala jewel beetles partying among the Gastrolobium, the heart leaf poison, Lowlands Reserve, 14 November 2020

Todays plant is heart leaf poison, Gastrolobium bilobum. Couldn’t resist this one, because of all the beetles making love, having fun. I see jewel beetles quite a lot in the reserve , they also like having jolly-ups in the acacia littorea.

0 beetles , 1 beetle, 4 beetles! Looks like somethings also been eating the flowers and pooing on the leaves! Lowlands Reserve 14 November 2020

As Heart Leaf Poison (Gastrolobium bilobum) is a granite lover, its not overly common in the sandier limestone areas of Lowlands Coastal Reserve. It is a wonderful guardian for granite outcrops. Although its harmless to touch, the seeds especially and the foliage and flowers are highly toxic if eaten by non-native species. Gastrolobium is a natural source of 1080 poison . As our native herbivore species have co-evolved with Gastrolobium, they are not as badly affected as foxes are, if they ingest 1080 poison. 1080 baits are lethal to dogs and foxes, and are not that healthy for our birds of prey and reptiles either (baits are usually not lethal to our native fauna, herbivores and omnivores, but can make them crook). A Poisoned Heart, and a Twisted Memory, is a break up song from Richard Thompson from 1983 when he and Linda Thompson split up.

Called HeartLeaf Poison for the shape of the leaves, and the naturally occurring 1080 poison

Wonderful beetle story here : https://www.npr.org/sections/krulwich/2013/06/19/193493225/the-love-that-dared-not-speak-its-name-of-a-beetle-for-a-beer-bottle — our Lowlands Reserve beetles are safe for now.

Naturally occurring 1080 poison in our Gastrolobium bilobum

Lowlands Coastal Reserve is on Menang Boodja — country. I celebrate the strength, resilience and capacity of the Menang Noongar people who are the traditional owners of the land.

My fundraising for Bush Heritage #groundworkchallenge is going well . To join my team or donate go to https://www.groundworkchallenge.org.au/fundraisers/sheilamurray/2020?fbclid=IwAR2HbNn0YsCCc3tiSK-_lbF5xLsssaD8wjGHaUwVYrRqYxM-kdJkijoj2N0

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